PCASTRD was established on January 30, 1987, as one of the sectoral planning councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) tasked to develop, integrate, and coordinate the national research system for the advanced science and technology (S&T) sector in the country.

PCASTRD develops its activities in a wide range of research fields in cooperation with each ministry, agency, research laboratories and the universities such as the National Mapping Resource and Information Authority (NAMRIA).

The senior science research specialist of PCASTRD, Jose Edgardo L. ABAN, Ph.D. talked to the APRSAF secretariat about space activities of the Philippines.

The most important collaboration strategy is that PCASTRD has exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of "Seismo-electromagnetics gains intensity among Filipino and Japanese scientists" with the Space Environment Research Center of Kyushu University, Japan. The purpose of the MOU is to advance personnel exchanges and education between the two for information and technology exchanges about research of seismic phenomena concerning seismic activities and volcanic eruptions. In addition, Kyushu University and Manila Observatory will undertake a joint research program of the Department of Science and Technology and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Secondly, its activity in operation is to ensure the active follow-up of the implementation of Sentinel-Asia. Although NAMRIA and other organizations participate in APRSAF and JPTM (Joint-Project Team Meeting) every year, disaster mitigation is considered to be the top priority. From now we have a plan to promote the project of Japanese WIND (Wideband Internetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite) as support of Sentinel-Asia in Philippines.
As for domestic events, the National Congress on Space Technology Application Research will be held in November 2007. This is the follow-up event of the STAR Plan (Science and Technology Application and Research Plan) held in November 2005.

The workshop on Space Science Education Program was held in February 2007 in the Philippines. This workshop aimed to instill three generations in elementary school pupils, high school students and college students with the space science concept.

Concerning activities for APRSAF, a water rocket launch competition will be held in June in the Philippines as a domestic space educational event and its winner will participate in the competition of the APRSAF-14 side event to be held in November in Bangalore, India.

Finally, he told us his expectations for APRSAF to set up a concrete project just like Sentinel Asia in the APRSAF framework.

PCASTRD Website
http://www.pcastrd.dost.gov.ph